Typology

This week, we’re talking about Step 3 of S.O.A.R. and what it means to awaken. We’ll explore mindfulness practice, why all of us need to develop this muscle, and we will share a few more tips for rewriting your story.    This is just the sort of work I lead you through in my new The Story of You Workbook.  Get your copy here.   

What has your broken narrative cost you? This week, we're moving on to step 2 of the acronym S.O.A.R. from The Story of You, which is to 'own' your story. I explain what it means to 'own' your story and why this step is essential on your journey toward transformation.  For more exercises, reflection prompts, and guided questions that can help you make lasting changes, pick up a copy of The Story of You Workbook.

For the next four weeks, I’m going to walk you through each step of the acronym S.O.A.R. to help you identify and rewrite your origin story. The S.O.A.R. acronym is four simple steps you can begin to journey through in order to relax your grip on the old story and craft a new one.   In this episode, I explain the first step of S.O.A.R. which is to ‘see’ how you became who you are today. In order to narrate a new story, we must first explore and accept our history.  I share a few questions to get you started on this journey.   For more exercises, reflection prompts, and guided questions that can help you transform your life, check out The Story of You Workbook (available now for pre-order).

When growing in self-awareness, it’s important to be able to recognize, or identify, what your triggers are. If you’re a regular listener, you’ve heard me talk about how critical meditation and journaling are to strengthen your ability to respond to life rather than react. But, how we treat our bodies is also important.    When I notice I feel anxious, envious, or irritable, I like to pause and notice how I’m feeling physically.  I ask myself, “how did I sleep last night?”, “do I need to go for a walk?” or “what have I eaten today?”  At times, simply drinking some water or having a good, healthy meal helps me process what I’m truly feeling.    How you eat not only fuels your body but also fuels your mind.  It allows you to pause and reflect, and make intentional decisions.   In today’s episode, health and science journalist, Max Lugavere joins me for a conversation about the connection between food and cognitive health. Tune into this interesting discussion on how to feed your brain to live a more full life…no matter your Enneagram type.  Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times bestseller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life.  He’s also the host of the #1 iTunes health podcast, The Genius Life and regularly appears on the Dr. Oz Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and The Doctors. For more on Max, visit https://geniuskitchenbook.com

After reading Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses, I was delighted to have the opportunity to sit down and discuss the book with author Sarah Fay. In this exploration of the ways we pathologize our human experiences, Sarah opens the door to a new conversation about mental health. In this episode, Sarah shares:  How and why do we categorize ourselves to make everyday life easier How any diagnosis can turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy Her recommendations for when you are handed a diagnoses Why recognizing signals in your body can help you learn how to process feelings and emotions   Sarah Fay (Ph.D., Iowa MFA) is an award-winning author and mental health advocate working to improve how we think and talk about mental health by moving the conversation away from simplistic diagnoses and toward a deeper understanding of our mental and emotional lives. Her personal experience of being diagnosed with six different mental health disorders and finding no relief led her to investigate the diagnoses we receive and to write her journalistic memoir, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses which Apple Books chose as one of the Best Books in March. Sarah has shared her story on NPR, Salon, and more.  I hope you find this conversation as fascinating as I did.  Be sure to share the episode with your friends and family.

This week we’re continuing our series on feeding the brain.  There’s an ample amount of research about the importance of tapping into the mind-body connection, or tuning into our emotional and mental states, to rewire our neuropathways and relieve anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts. Dr. Caroline Leaf joins me for a fascinating conversation about “cleaning up the mental mess” and taking back control over your thoughts and life.  In today’s episode, Dr. Leaf: explains the difference between the “mind” and the “brain” discusses how to use the conscious mind to connect with your nonconscious mind walks us through her neurocycle program to detox and rebuild the brain

Your brain is a fascinating place that makes you who you are. It is also an endless source of information about how all of humanity not only organizes information but how we make meaning in the world every day. Using the latest advances in neuroscience and the wisdom of the Enneagram, Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson join me for a deep conversation about using neuroscience to unveil our inner wholeness.  They provide specific practices we can all use to awaken to our true selves. To learn more about Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson, visit https://rickhanson.net and 

Today, our longtime friends, Michael and Julianne Cusick, join us as special co-hosts to interview Anne and me about how the Enneagram has strengthened our marriage of 33 years. We explore the low sides of our types and how they've negatively impacted our marriage and how we’ve overcome that, discuss the ways our types have helped us each grow, and highlight the important role of self-compassion. Tune in to this very special episode on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.     Cheers,    Ian P.S. We’re offering the full episode exclusively to our Typology Institute Members. So, to hear the rest of our interview, become a member today at https://typologyinstitute.com/membership.

Expressing our emotions is vulnerable, and vulnerability is the secret sauce of relationships. So how do an Enneagram Two and an Enneagram 5, who approach emotions from very different angles, maintain a strong marriage? In today’s episode, I revisit my conversation with Jon and Tristen Collins, authors of Why Emotions Matter, to explore what they’ve learned about each other and how they meet in the middle to build a more intimate relationship.

This week we continue our focus on couples and the Enneagram by taking another look at my conversation with Abner and Amanda Ramirez (better known as Johnnyswim). I break down a few sections I found that exemplify the ways their types complement each other as well as where they might struggle.   If you’d like to know more about how you and your partner can better relate to each other, get a copy of your couples report here.  (Use the code COUPLES to get 10% off).   P.S. Abner and Amanda have a new album out titled, Johnnsywim.  Check it out.